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Sluman Makes Most of His Opportunity
By Dave Weissman

Jeff Sluman birdied the 15th hole in the first round of the Memorial Tournament to overtake Rory Sabbatini for the lead after the first round of The Memorial Tournament with a 7-under par, 65.

Sluman’s story is certainly one of Cinderella as he wrote a letter to Tournament Director Dan Sullivan to gain a spot in this year’s Memorial. “I needed a sponsor's exemption this year for the first time in a long time after finishing I think 77th on last year's Money List, and without them considering me, I certainly wouldn't be here,” he said after his round. “I'd be watching this on television back home in Chicago.”

Sabbatini got off to a great start posting 4-under at the turn. He had a stretch of birdies on 4, 5, 6 and 7. “The wind was kid of swirling out there, making conditions a little tougher,” he said. He birdied half of the par 5’s en route to his leading score. He ended the round in second place with a 6-under par.

A large group of eight golfers are tied for third place at 5-under, including Lancaster native Joe Ogilvie, Adam Scott and Woody Austin.

Tiger Woods is tied for 13th place at 3-under, but is not worried. “With the wind blowing like this, extremely happy,” he said. “Made no bogeys, three birdies and that's it.”

Tournament host Jack Nicklaus had an up and down round. He made the turn at par, but ending his round with a three over par 75. He was at even par going into the 15th hole, but after carding a 6 on that hole, he basically held on to end his round with a 75.

“Going downwind at 15, it was like, well, I want to be able to make birdie here. Then it hit it in the rough and hit two shots about six inches behind them and walked off with 6. It was crazy giving away two shots,” he said.

Nicklaus has not played a lot of golf lately and the rust showed. “Those are the kinds of things you do when you don't play. If you're playing golf you don't do those things. But I'm not playing golf,” he commented. “Then the last three holes I limped in with a couple of bogeys at 17 and 18, which are pretty hard holes. I had a chance to play pretty decently. I shot 75, that's about my game.”

Other notables include 2003 Memorial Champion Kenny Perry (-3), last year’s champion Ernie Els (+1), Vijay Singh (+5), Ben Curtis and Davis Love III (+6).